Wire conveyor belts have been in the market for many years. Wire conveyor belts are ideal for material handling, cooking, icing, slicing breading, cooling, filling, inspecting, and packing of products like breads, rolls, buns, donuts, confections, cakes, pies, pastries, light loads of meat, seafood, poultry, and processed products. They are also excellent for light-duty applications in metalworking and other industries. The simple, open design of wire conveyor belts provides efficient operation with minimum maintenance and easy cleanup to meet sanitation requirements. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, wire conveyor belt 10 comprises a plurality of metal rods 16 interconnected by a plurality of knuckles 18 formed at the rod ends. In conveyor belt 10, it is the rods 16 which support the product to be conveyed and hold the components of the belt together by way of the knuckle edge configuration.
It has been found in some instances that the rods of a wire conveyor belt can leave a mark on the product that runs on top of the belt. The markings may become even more prominent if the product is heated while it is on the belt or put under pressure, or if the product being conveyed is naturally soft or pliable. Since product appearance is an important part of any mass produced food item, the marking can be a barrier to the use of a conveyor belt to carry a product that has traditionally not been in contact with a belt and has a smooth surface. On the other hand, since product markings can become part of a product's recognition and even become desirable, controlling the marking on a product being conveyed could be beneficial and conducive to the use of a conveyor belt in most any environment. Still further, the surface of the product could be uneven and forced smooth by the use of a conveyor belt or a pair of opposing conveyor belts.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the marketplace for a wire conveyor belt having a product support surface that produces a predetermined marking, or lack of marking, on the product being conveyed based upon user preference.